Getting excited

[Lee1977]

I looked out across the pond this morning to see it completely locked up. Something caught my eye and down by the dock there was a mink messing around. I watched him for a bit and he finally went all the way across the ice to the other side. Last week I watched the same mink go across some ice and fall through, made me chuckle because I’ve done the same thing. Needless to say this is getting me excited for some thicker ice! The weather sure isn’t good for the next week to make any good ice. Like always it’ll come and we just have to be patient. Stay safe out there.

[zcm_82]

The little ditch/creek I deer hunt next to was iced of/on during deer season. I saw a mink out there the 2nd or 3rd day of season... first one I'd ever seen around here. I see muskrats out there most years, but that was the first mink.

Forecast is looking too warm to make ice this week here too, so hopefully it'll start dipping again next week.

Ponds were locked up for a day or so at the end of that cold snap before Thanksgiving around here, but they opened up fast and haven't skinned over again since. It's just teaser ice around the edges now... the worst kind 

[bigr]

If the weather forecast plays out we most certainly will be fishing after during christmas break.

[zcm_82]

Extended forecast keeps looking better every day. I went ahead and took the 23rd off to do some pond hopping. If the ice ends up good by that week with a solid forecast after Xmas I'll probably end up taking the 29th and 30th off, too.

[dearjimschmidt]

 i took the 30th off in hopes of finding good ice!!

[JDH46151]

Extended forecast keeps looking better every day. I went ahead and took the 23rd off to do some pond hopping. If the ice ends up good by that week with a solid forecast after Xmas I'll probably end up taking the 29th and 30th off, too.

I'm normally pretty pessimistic when it comes to the weather but I gotta admit it's lookin good.  I have the 23rd and 26th off. I imagine the marshes around here will be frozen so duck hunting will be over so it may be time to get out the auger.

[CL_Outdoors]

While the temps in the extended forecast look promising, the one thing I'm worried about is the wind dying down enough to get a good skim on. I don't see any nights where it get's below 6 MPH winds. Hopefully that changes.

I've been disappointed before so might as well just shoot for mid Jan and anything sooner is a bonus!

[Lee1977]

I have a buddy In Montana and I just looked at their weather for the next week. It gets pretty darn cold out there starting Sunday. Usually we get what they’ve had about 3 days later but not as bad. Looks promising!

[CL_Outdoors]

 

[Jig_Head]

Im off Dec 23rd to Jan 4th! So stoked. Reallyyy hoping for safe ice. Thought about taking a little adventure somewheres as I have the time off but hopefully we're good here

[zcm_82]

Still looking real good here. As long as the wind doesn't blow a million miles an hour over the weekend I am thinking most of my usual little panfish ponds and river backwaters should be skinned over by Monday or Tuesday and good to go by Thursday.

[bigr]

I'm thinking friday saturday for the resi's .

[ftwwalleye]

Looking a little north is looking great. If I have to make a little drive I wanna fish for Xmas Santa.

[CL_Outdoors]

Wind looking like it will be an issue.... Tuesday night looking like it will lay down and skim but then it picks back up again, so lets all cross our fingers.

[CWlake]

 the pessimist in me is saying it will skim over this weekend then we'll get 4" of snow next week and put an end to it for a while. Hoping for a green Christmas!

[zcm_82]

Most of the stuff I fish is fairly small water, and some of them are fairly sheltered so they should skim over the weekend unless it's really blowing a gale. Forecast winds here are 10-15mph most of Friday/Saturday, then laying down under 5mph Sunday night.

I like to stay away from those big water crowds, anyway.. it's too... people-y   

[Lee1977]

Things are looking up! Got up this morning and the pond is about 80% locked up. It’s has actually filled in since I’ve been up. I’m somewhat protected by the wind so that helps. Maybe next week sometime!

[zcm_82]

I had to run to my Dad's place earlier, so I checked 5 ponds while I was out and about.

The 3 larger ones were still completely open water, but the smallest one was skinned over, and the 2nd smallest was probably 25% covered.

[jr11888]

What part of the state are ya? I'd say we all are in the same boat after this artic blast comes in next week.

[Lee1977]

I’m north of Kendallville.

[jr11888]

I see Lee I'm down just north of Muncie. Gonna be very cold everywhere next week.